Calibrachoa plant named ‘Filindura White’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Filindura White’, characterized by its upright to spreading growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; relatively large white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION: CALIBRACHOA SP.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Filindura White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Filindura White’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Calibrachoa cultivars with compact plant habit, freely flowering habit, and attractive flower color.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in De Lier, The Netherlands of two unnamed proprietary selections of Calibrachoa sp., not patented. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in a greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Filindura White has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Filindura White’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Filindura White’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Upright to spreading growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively large white-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit and flower size as plants of the new Calibrachoa are more uniform and have larger flowers than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivar Super Bell White, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Super Bell White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more outwardly spreading         than plants of the cultivar Super Bell White.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had narrower leaves than plants         of the cultivar Super Bell White.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Filindura White’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands, under commercial practice during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 16° C. Rooted young plants had been growing for about ten weeks when the photograph and description were taken. Plants used for the description were grown in 10.5-cm containers. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Filindura White. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp., not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp., not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading plant             habit; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit with             about eight primary lateral branches each with multiple             secondary lateral branches; pinching is typically not             required.         -   Plant height.—About 10 cm to 13 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 32 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 0.7 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.         -   Color.—144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 138A; venation, 138A.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B to 138C;             venation, 138B to 138C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Relatively large salverform             flowers arranged singly arising from leaf axils. Freely             flowering habit with usually about 50 open flowers and             flower buds developing per plant. Flowers not persistent.             Flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring throughout the summer in The Netherlands. Plants             begin flowering about seven weeks after planting rooted             cuttings. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About             1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length: About             3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Retuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny;             tube, pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 155D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 155D; towards the base and throat, 10B. Petal,             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; stripes, 145A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.5 cm. Sepal width: About             3 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal             base: Cuneate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color: Immature and             mature, upper surface: Towards the apex, 144A; towards the             base, 145A. Immature and mature, lower surface: Towards the             apex, 143A; towards the base, 145A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Filament length: About 5 mm. Anther shape: Broadly             reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 10B.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 10B. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style             length: About 5 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape:             Three-lobed, flattened. Stigma color: 145A. Ovary color:             145C. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Filindura White’ as illustrated and described. 